Electronic devices, such as portable communication devices, typically include a user interface that provides a user with the capability to interact with the device. The user interface, for instance, typically includes one or more input actuators, such as a key or a button, that is utilized by a user to provide input commands, instructions, and information utilized during operation of the device.
A wireless device operable in a radio communication system is exemplary of an electronic device that includes a user interface to provide a user with input actuation keys to input information, control instructions, and input commands utilized pursuant to operation of the wireless device.
A wireless device typically includes a telephonic keypad that at least includes input keys associated with each of the ten numeric dialing digits and also a “asterisk” and “number” key. The user interface of a wireless device typically further includes one or more additional keys used for additional purposes. And, some wireless devices include a keypad that includes alphabetical characters, such as keypads that are arranged in QWERTY configuration.
An exemplary radio communication system is a cellular communication system. Cellular communication systems have been deployed throughout the world, and wireless devices, sometimes referred to as mobile stations, are used to communicate in a cellular communication system. Other wireless networks are analogously deployed and are regularly utilized.
Early-generation, cellular communication systems generally provided primarily for voice communication services and only limited data communication services. The keypads of wireless devices constructed for use in such early-generation communication systems generally provided user interfaces consisting of numeric input keys. Newer-generation devices, operable in newer-generation systems, are generally capable of being utilized for data-intensive communication services, such as messaging services and other communication services in which data is communicated by, and with, the wireless device. When the wireless device is capable of use pursuant to a service that utilizes communication of textual data, the wireless device often times includes a QWERTY keypad.
Advancements in technologies have permitted the circuitry of the wireless devices, and also of other electronic devices, to be significantly reduced in physical dimensions, i.e., miniaturized. The physical dimensions of the resultant device, that is, a device that incorporates the circuitry of the reduced dimensions can correspondingly be reduced. The housing in which the circuitry of the device is positioned can be reduced, facilitating hand carriage of the device.
Concomitant with the decrease in the physical dimensions of electronic devices has been a decrease in the physical dimensions of the associated user interfaces for the devices. A user interface, typically supported at the housing of the electronic device is constrained in dimensions by the dimensions of the housing. As the size of the housing decreases, the size of the user interface correspondingly must decrease.
The reduced physical dimensions permitted of the user interface poses various manufacturing challenges to the manufacture and assembly of the user interfaces for such devices of reduced dimensions.
For instance, due to the increased dimensional constraints imposed upon the user interfaces, not only are the sizes of the user interfaces reduced, but, further, the component parts of the user interfaces are also reduced. For example, the sizes of the keys of a keypad that typically forms a user-interface input of an electronic device must be of reduced dimensions. Both numeric, QWERTY, and other alphanumeric keypads, and the respective keys thereof, must generally be of reduced dimensions. And, the keys of the keypads are placed in the closer proximity with one another.
A keypad, of small dimensions, upon which a finish, such as a painting or decoration is applied, and an associated method for applying the finish to the keys of the keypad is therefore needed.
It is in light of this background information related to user interfaces for electronic, and other, devices that the significant improvements of the present disclosure have evolved.